Retirement from the forces is different. After all when someone retires from an office or factory they have not served the flag or defended the country. That is precisely what members of the armed forces do and that is why their retirement speeches have to have a different slant. Such speeches should refer to the service they have given. They should refer to bravery and mention camaraderie. A mention of shining brasses or duty will not go astray. It doesn’t matter whether the retiree is a soldier, a sailor or a member of the air force. It doesn’t matter either whether the retiree is a NCO or a four star general. The important thing is that they have done a specific job that no civilian does. Members of the forces are prepared to face danger and death. They are special people and so, when they retire whoever is giving the retirement speech should emphasise that fact. The speech should, in fact, salute the retiree.

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Be a team player. That’s good advice whether you are in the military, an office or a football team. Too much attention seems to be given to the individual stars and there is no doubt that some people are outstanding in their fields. If we are to succeed in any given arena though we have to learn to pull together with others. Even the most talented player in any field will have some faults and will need the support or influence of others. Certainly even those who play individual sports will have support from coaches or mentors So being a team player is something that managers, officers and coaches have to get across to those they are training. As the saying goes, there is no i in the word team. Some will reply that there is me in team but that is a selfish and childish response. As the advertisement says, together we can make things happen.

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Army officers don’t only give orders. There are also lots of occasions when they have to give speeches. Retirements and weddings are such occasions. They speak to their troop too when there is a change of command or when it is a question of deployment or re-enlistment. Whatever the occasion the speech has to express the core values of the army, values like loyalty, camaraderie and service. Some occasions are more formal than others and an after dinner speech can be light-hearted if those attending are celebrating, say a promotion if a close friend. Some occasions occur regularly too such as graduations and again the speech has to be motivational. Officers may be taught to shoot from the hip but good public speaking is another essential weapon in their armoury.

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The change of command gives an officer the opportunity to express his thoughts. He can speak of the things he has observed about his troops over his term of command. He can speak of their loyalty, their camaraderie and how easy they made his job. He may refer to some funny incident during his command or to some brave act he has witnessed. If he has been serving abroad he may choose to speak of the difficulties that causes and how well his troops have overcome those difficulties. He should refer to the incoming officer and speak of his credentials. Overall though his speech should be an expression of thanks for what he has learnt during his time with that particular unit and of his regret to be leaving them.

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Marching is part of a soldier’s life. What happens, though when that soldier marches out of the army? There will, of course, be a farewell function of some kind and, naturally, a speech will be given. What to say in that speech is sometimes a problem for the designated speaker. If it is an officer he or may not know the soldier well. If so it pays to do a little research. Speak to a colleague or friend and find out something about that soldier’s background and plans. Words like duty well done should feature in the speech. So too will talk of camaraderie in the ranks. If possible it is good to refer to some incident or indeed incidents during the service of the soldier in question. He or she may, for instance, have served in a danger zone. It will make the speech really personal if you speak of that soldier’s plans for the future. If you don’t actually know them at least speak positively about all the options that are available to someone who does not have to answer to reveille any more.

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Responsibility is a word that carries a lot of weight. In Military circles it becomes change of responsibility and there is a ceremony that goes with the responsibility. A sword is passed from the outgoing to the incoming NCO as a symbol of that change. Mothers take responsibility for their children’s’ safety of course and teachers do too. Generally speaking, though, only military personnel have the care of a group of soldiers under their command. It is an onerous task when you consider that they may be deployed in a war zone. The troop is, of course, only as good as the NCO in charge and the army has its own ways of selecting the best. The speeches given at such a ceremony reflect the views of the outgoing officer on the camaraderie and discipline of the troop he is leaving. The incoming officer will look forward to achieving equally good results. So each will speak of the responsibility involved and the best method of dealing with it.

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It’s in all the papers. It’s being mentioned on the news. 9/11 is big news just now because it is ten years since the atrocity happened. It’s been ten years since we experienced tragedy such as we had never experienced before. It’s ten years since the sky rained its death and destruction. It was a time that showed the worst and the best of humankind. Words like courage, bravery and commitment were a part of it as were sorrow, grief and heartbreak. Soon we will commemorate that awful time and we will speak lovingly of lost ones and emotively of those who gave their lives for others. All the word won’t bring them back but they will give comfort and they will make us think. We need to think of the reason why it happened and what we can do to prevent it happening again. We need to believe in a better world.

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Will you be speaking on September the 11th? Will you be paying tribute to the fire-fighters and emergency crews? Will you be mentioning those who lost their lives on those planes? There will, of course be many ceremonies to mark the anniversary of 7/11. It’s ten years since it happened and for some the grief is as raw now as it was then. Others have moved on with their lives but there is still an ache in their hearts, an empty place that cannot be filled. For political and military leaders there is the question of what should be done to prevent a reoccurrence. For religious leaders a question still remains. How do we integrate diverse beliefs? 7/11 then is much more than a date. It’s still a case of unanswered questions.

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We don’t appreciate our armed services enough. After all without the army, the navy and the air force we might not sleep safely in our beds at night. Sometimes, though, we forget that the forced are made up of individuals who have to give speeches. It may be because an enlisted soldier is retiring. It could be because there is a graduation ceremony. It might be a change of command speech or, sadly, a eulogy. Then there are those more light-hearted occasions such as an after dinner speech or you may be the best man at a military wedding. Whatever the occasion the speech should speak of life in the forces as being special and different. The speech should have an undertone of pride in it. . A light-hearted comment will certainly add to the speech and make it popular with your audience. Like the flag you serve the speech should reflect on the traditions you cherish.

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Many military officers are coming and going. They are leaving their command or joining another. When they do they usually want to say a few words about their feelings on the occasion. They may, for instance, have served in battle and want to express their admiration for their troops who were so brave under fire. They may simply be taking up another command in another country. If so they might want to speak of the challenges that lie ahead. It could be that they want to explain that those troops are going as representatives of their country which will be judged by them. Being a commanding officer is a privilege but without their troops they cannot amount to anything. Usually they will recognise this and speak of the contribution made by such troops. They will praise them of course and perhaps speak of a shared mission or incident. Their speeches will be motivational in tone and of course, refer graciously either to the previous officer or the one who will be taking over the command. Such speeches should be short and sincere and leave those listening feeling proud and patriotic.

Check out our sample speeches

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